Researchers from the IN2PAST-funded ARIA project climbed scaffolding to study the materials and techniques used in the paintings on the ceiling of the Music Rooms at the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, Alentejo, Portugal. Nothing new for scientists used to studying high murals, but these frescos have not been scientifically studied before. The team will combine the on site analyses with research on historical documents and literature.

ARIA: Art, Rhythm, Intonaco, Analytics – An Interdisciplinary Study of King João IV’s Musical Library at Vila Viçosa is a one-year exploratory project approved in 2024. A primary site for the field work is the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, namely the two rooms known as the Music Library, where the team recently applied non-invasive photogrammetry techniques to the ceiling mural paintings, allowing for the preservation of the artwork’s integrity while revealing hidden details, such as cracks or pigment loss.

In addition to providing greater precision in a future restoration, this method also facilitates digital preservation and broader public access through virtual replicas. The multiple high-resolution images captured from various angles will enable the creation of a detailed 3D model, to be included in the immersive virtualization of the Musical Library rooms. One of project ARIA’s outputs should be a fully functional web platform with an interactive 3D model of the library and a searchable photo collection.

The pioneering analysis from on high should also lead to a comprehensive report on the construction phases and artistic study of the Ducal Palace’s fresco ceilings, offering insights into the site’s historical and artistic heritage. Team members Luís Dias and Milene Gil (HERCULES – University of Évora / IN2PAST) were accompanied on site by ARIA PI Isabel Pires (CESEM – NOVA FCSH / IN2PAST) and co-PI Susana Varela Flor (IHA – NOVA FCSH / IN2PAST), as well as conservator-restorer specialising in mural painting José Artur Pestana.